"Tintin" not as creepy as I had initially thought...

As anyone who knows me knows, I'm a bit of a fan of the Tintin books. You can blame the pediatrician I had growing up. The reading choices in the waiting room were either Tintin books or *shudder* Highlights magazine (Surely I am not the only one who identified more with Goofus than Gallant, but I digress...).

Sure, the  adventure comic book series by Hergé (born Georges Prosper Remi) was filled with --how to put this delicately-- cultural insensativities, but my options were limited, so Tintin it was.

My favorite was Tintin in America, because even as a six year-old I knew that it was highly unlikely that a Belgian boy --no matter how plucky and determined-- would be able to outsmart both Native Americans and the Chicago Mob. Perhaps there isn't a French word for "cement shoes"?

As I've grown older, I've been able to appreciate the storytelling and structure (Remi knew how to write for the comic book medium). Film adaptations of his works have been hit or miss over the years.

There have been three attempts thusfar to bring Tintin, Snowy and the gang to the screen. First up was 1947's little-seen stop-motion film "The Crab With the Golden Claws."

Then there was 1961's live-action "Tintin and the Golden Fleece."

I loved the poster. The movie? Meh.  Still, it did well enough to warrant a sequal, 1964's "Tintin and the Blue Oranges."

And that brings us to the CGI version coming Dec. 23 from Steven Spielburg and Peter Jackson, "The Adventures of Tintin: Secret of the Unicorn."

The teaser trailer featured life-like computer animation that always creeped me out (something about the eyes that appear so souless). The full trailer is out now and the characters look a little more like their comic book counterparts (and thus, less scary). Admittedly, I am rocking a Tintin-style 'do at the moment.



Admittedly, I am rocking a Tintin-style 'do at the moment. Perhaps I'll keep it for the December premier.